Conventionally, there is a known battery block 100 including a battery stacked product 102 formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells 101 and a fixing member 103 for fastening the battery stacked product 102 in a stack direction as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 (see JP 2013-246990 A).
Each of the battery cells 101 includes a prismatic cover case 1011 with a bottom, a sealing plate 1012 for closing an opening portion of the cover case 1011, and electrode terminals 1013 provided to opposite end portions of the sealing plate 1012.
The fixing member 103 includes end plates 104 disposed at opposite ends of the battery stacked product 102 and coupling fixtures 105 fixed to the end plates 104 to fasten the battery stacked product 102 in the stack direction with end plates 104 interposed therebetween.
Each of the coupling fixtures 105 is extending in the stack direction of the battery stacked product 102 and has an L shape in cross-section. Specifically, each of the coupling fixtures 105 has a plate-shaped first portion 1051 along outer side faces 101A of the battery cells 101, a plate-shaped second portion 1052 along top faces 101B or bottom faces 101C of the battery cells 101, and plate-shaped third portions 1053 along the end plates 104. At each end portion of each of the coupling fixtures 105 in the stack direction, the plate-shaped first to third portions 1051 to 1053 are connected continuously (without leaving clearances therebetween), each of corner portions 106 of the coupling fixture 105 is formed. The coupling fixers 105 formed in this manner are fixed to the end plates 104 disposed at the opposite ends of the battery stacked product 102 to thereby fasten the battery stacked product 102 in the stack direction with the end plates 104 interposed therebetween.
In the above-described battery block 100, because there are no clearances at the corner portions 106 of the coupling fixers 105, water (condensed water or the like) is accumulated in the corner portions 106 positioned on a lower side depending on an attitude of the battery block 100 and the accumulated water may make the battery cells 101 and the fixing member 103 electrically continuous with each other in some cases when condensation or the like occurs on faces of the coupling fixtures 105 facing the battery cells 101 due to a change in a temperature around the battery block 100 or the like.